Long bar grinder



July 14, 1931. J. E. CASTER 1,814,367

LONG BAR GRINDER Filed y 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet l gn'uznto'c jwffvrze J. E.CASTER LONG BAR GRINDER July 14, 1931.

3 Sheets--Sheet 2 Filed May 20, 1929 July 14, 1931. q, E, CASTER1,814,367

LONG BAR GRINDER Filed May 20, 19 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 filly/72mm? 1);!!!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII/III VIII! glwwzmtom dam we Patented July 14, 1931UNITED STATES PATENT" OFFICE JOHN E. CASTER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO,ASSIGNOR TO CINCINNATI GRINDERS IN- CORPORATED, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ,ACORPORATION OF OHIO Lone BAR GRINDER Application filed May 20,

This invention relates to improvements in grinding machinery and moreespecially that type of machinery commercially known as centerlessgrinders.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is the provisionof a grinding machine of the centerless type particularly adapted foruse in the grinding of long bars,-

tubes and similar articles with extreme accuracy.

A further object of the invention is the pro-- vision of an improvedwork supporting mechanism capable of application to commercialcenterless grinders which will facilitate the accurate positioning andsupporting. of an elongated work piece during its introduction to,passage through and removal from the grinding throat whereby extremeaccuracy of product will be insured.

A further object of the invention is the provision of mechanismfacilitating the accurate relative adjustment of the several worksupporting ortions on the device to insure proper axia alignment of theprojectin terminal portions of the work with the grmding throat and thusprevent impairment ofaccuracy of'the final product due to radialdisplacement of the work in any direction during the grinding.

Other objects and advantages of the invention should be readily apparentby reference to the followinglspecification considered in conjunctionwit the accompan ing. drawings and it will be understoo that anymodifications in the s ecific structural details hereinafter disclose,may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departingfrom or exceeding the spirit of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a view of the parts at the grinding throat with regulatingwheel unit removed and portions broken away.

Figure 3 is a section as on line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 1 is a vertical section illustrating the work rest clampmechanism as on the line 4--4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section as on line 5-5 of Fig- 1929. Serial No. 364,442.

ure 2 illustrating one of the inner work sup porting members, and

Figure 6 is a horizontal section on the line 6-6 of Figure 2illustrating the adjusting slide 12 which in turn is provided with ways13 for the regulating wheel unit 14.

Disposed at the opposite end of the bed 10 is the head 15 by which isrotatably supported the grinding Wheel 16. This latter in accordancewith standard practice is driven at a high or inding rate of speed withits operative surface moving downward or in a clockwise direction asindicated by the arrow in Figure 4 for proper removal of stock from thework piece.

Located on the grinding wheel unit and in opposition to the grindingwheel is the control or regulating wheel 17 also rotating in aclock-wise directioncto cause its inner operative surface to moveupward, This wheel is driven at a slow rate of speed having a wearingfriction contact with the work piece for determining the rate ofrotation thereof.

In addition, this wheel is preferably axially tilted to create a feedcomponent producing a traverse or feeding movement of the work throughthe grinding throat provided 7 between grinding and regulating wheels.The slide 12 forms a support for the work rest bracket unit 18 havingthe terminal socketed ortions 19 to receive the support bars or t-u es20. As the construction at the front and rear of the machine is the samea description of either will suffice for a proper understanding of both.

Socket 19 is preferably kerfed or split as at 21 and rovided with webs22 drawn together as by 0 amp bolt 23 to secure member 20 in position.Additionally, to prevent rotative or twisting movement of member 20, usemay be made of suitable locking means such asthe work piece 27 withinthe grinding throat.

Plate 25 has sockets as at 28 to receive balls 29 abutted by the workrest blade adjusting plungers 30 sliding in guides 31 of member 18 andhaving bevelled lower ends ridin on cam faces 32 of the adjusting slide33. is slide is urged in one direction by compression spring 34 and isadjustable in the opposite directlon by screw 35. This adjustment underthe influence of the screw forces plungers 30 and thus the work restblade 26upward to vary the height of the an le'top of the blade and thusthe position of t e axis of the work piece riding thereon with respectto the axes of the grinding and regulating wheels.

To facilitate securing of the work restblade in desired verticallyadjusted position use is made of the clam arms 36 intermediately pivotedas at 37 an coupled by crossbar 38 which forms a power equalizer fordistribution of the clamping pressure. The clam in itself is effectedthrough block 39 shiftab e by cam plunger 40 and pressure screw 41 as itwill be readily understood by reference to Figure 6.

Th1s particular mechanism is capable of employment when the grinder isto be used for ordinary short work pieces and in the absence of theouter supporting members hereinafter described, though beingparticularly advantageous when it is necessary to line up both the workrest blade and such outer supportino members in definite relationshi oneto the other.

The racket 18 is additionally provided with a slotted guide portion at42 for support 43 bearing trunnion 44 for the work supporting roller 45which is adapted to be so positioned as to contact with the work piece27 in the plane of contact of the angle top of the work rest blade withthe work piece.

To facilitate adjustment of roller 45 to this exact position, use ismade of the adjusting screw 46 abutting at its lower end the bracket 18and secured in adjusted position as by lock nut 47.

Tightening of bolts 48 firmly secures member 43 in its proper positionof vertical adjustment.

In the production of work pieces by the centerless method it iscustomary to sup art the work piece on a suitable member. suc as theangle top work rest blade here shown in connection with-a regulatingwheel member backing up the work and ur 'ng same in the direction of thegrinding w eel. The angle top work rest functions to produce a slightrising or upward movement of the work piece I in the grinding throatwhen minute irregularities or the like on the work engage the regulatingwheel thus minimizin the depth I of opposite cut taken by the grin ingwheel.

The work rest and regulating wheel together therefore, jointly form thedeterminators of position of the work at all times with respect to thegrinding wheel and the position of path and of the work as determinedthereby is of primecimportance. 1

In the structure the roller 45 exteriorly supporting the work resentsits surface in substantial correspon ence with that ofthe surface of thework rest blade by its free rotation releasing the blade of the ressureof weight of the outer portion of t e work piece and preferably being ata. slight angle to complement the feeding action of the regulatingwheel. For proper retention of the work in engagement with roller 45 incorrespondence with the position of engagement with the ortion of. thework being operated upon with the work rest, use ismade of a secondsupporting roll 49 rotatably mounted on bracket 50 adjustably secured tobell crank arm 51 as by bolt 52. This bell crank arm is pivoted at 53 toa support 54 on the bracket 18 and is adjustably maintained in positionby elevating screw 55 and clamp screw 56 as indicatedin Figure 5.

This roll is also disposed with its axis at an angle to both rotatablesupport'and produce feeding movement of the work as the latter isrotated and is adjusted to contact with a point on the work incorrespondence with the point in engagement of the regulating wheelsurface therewith.

In the production of work of considerable length the individual outboardsupports just described are insuflicient to fully position and.

support the outer portions of the work and prevent whipping thereof.

The additional outer support members comprise a series of similar unitsmounted on the members 20. These units as illustrated in detail inFigures 1 and 3'comprise a spht collar member 55 adapted to be clampe tomember 20 as by bolt 56. This collar has an upstanding arm 57 with anad'ustable section 58 bearin a roller 59 designed to be aligned with t ework rest blade androller 45 as respects its contact point with the workpiece 27. Such adjustment is facilitated by screw 60 and clamp bolts 61retainin the roller bearing section in its adjusted posltion.

Collar 55 is preferably secured against rotation on member 20 by lagscrew 62 so that am 57 will at all times extend in a parallel verticalplane with that of the work rest blade.

Disposed immediately adjacent each collar unit 55 is a second s ht clamp63 securable as by bolt 64 and having a substantially radi- 63. Uponloosening of clamp collar 63 same may be rotated aboutmember to anoutward position limited and determined by engagement of screw 70 withthefixed nonrotatable collar and in this manner an extremely small andaccurate positioning of the arm 64 of each unit and thus of thesupportingmroller 67 carried by the arm is attained.

the operation of the aforesaid mechanism the bracket unit 18 with itsseveral associated parts is mounted and suitably secured on the mainslide 12 of the machine and the several parts so thatthe work rest bladeand the series of outer work supporting units will equally support thework piece against axial deflection due for example, to weight of theoverhanging portion thereof. At the same time the regulating wheel unit14 is adjusted to-properly engage the work in opposition to the workrest by movement on ways 13 and the several rolls 49 and 67 adjusted tocorrespondingly engage the outer portion of the work and prevent itslateral deflection in the direction of the regulating wheel or away fromthe grinding wheel.

The several parts having been thus adjusted regulatin wheel unit 14 is.locked to slide 12 in definite-relation to the work rest bracket andparts carried thereby. The slide 12 with all associate parts is then fedtoward the grinding wheel as by manipulation of control wheel 73 toinsure proper stock removal from the work piece .and the work is axiallyadvanced through the machine by the combined action of the feedcomponent of the regulating wheel and that of the individual worksupporting rollers and a uniform rinding from end to end of the work ise ected.

grinder including opposed grinding and regulating wheels, of a worksupporting mechanism for presentation of work in the grinding throatbetween said grinding and regulating wheels including a supportingbracket, a work rest blade carried by the bracket, means for securingthe blade in adjusted position as res sets the bracket, outboardsupports carrie by the bracket including a series of supporting arms,rollers adjustable on the arms foralignment with the work supportingplane of the work rest blade, additional arms carried by the bracket,work supporting rollers on the arms, and means for adjusting the secondseries of rollers for engagement with the Work at circumferentiallyspaced points. from the first series of rollers in correspondence withthe circumferential spacing between engagement of the work rest bladeand the regulating wheel with the work.

2. A machine of the character described including opposed grinding andregulating wheels forming a work receiving throatthere between, meansfor varying the width of said throat, work supporting means disposedwithin the throat and exterior to the throat for correspondingengagement with a work piece to support same against the thrust of thegrinding wheel, means for correspondingly ad'usting said several worksupporting mem ers to maintain their simultaneous contact with the workpiece along a predetermined radial plane thereof, additional supportingmembers exterior to the throat and means for adjusting the additionalsupporting members to present the contacting portions thereof in contactwith a radial plane of the work passing through a point of engagement ofthe regulating wheel with the work.

3. The combination with a centerless grinder including opposed grindingand regulating wheels for simultaneous engagement with a work piece, awork rest blade in the throat between the wheels for supporting a workpiece injoint engagement with said wheels, outboard supports, a seriesof work supporting members carried by the outboard supports inunderlying relation to the work piece in correspondence to the relationof the work rest blade'thereto, and an additional series of laterallydisposed work rest supports in opposition to the first series forengagement with the work piece in correspondence to the engagement ofthe regulating wheel therewith at the throat.

4. The combination with .a centerless grinder including grinding andregulating wheels forming a work receiving throat there between, of abracket disposed within the throat, a work rest blade supported by thebracket and projecting in position to en-' gage and support a work piecein the throat, lateral projections carried by the bracket, a series ofwork supporting members carried by the projections and extending inparallel relation to the work rest blade and a second series ofangularly related work supporting members carried by the projectionsforcooperation with the firfit series.

5. Thecombination witha cen 'erless grinder including grinding andregulating wheels forming a work receiving throat there between, of abracket disposed within the throat, a work rest blade supported by thebrackat and projecting in position to engage and support a work pieceinthe throat, lateral projections carried by the bracket, a series ofwork supporting members carried by the projections and extending inparallel relation to the work rest blade, a second series of angularlyrelated work supporting members carried by the projections forcooperation with the first series, and means for angularly adj ustingthe members of the second series with respect to the members of the 1stseries to vary the engagement of the second series with an interposedwork piece.

6. The combination with a centerless grinder including opposed grindingand regulating wheels, an intermediate work rest, lateral projectionscarried by the grinder, work supports mounted in pairs on the pro-'- jections, work 'supporting rolls carriedby the members of each pair,means for radially adjusting the series with respect to theprojectioiis, and additional means for varying the separation of therolls of an individual pair.

7. A centerless grinding machine including :5 bed or support, a grindingwheel mounted thereon, a slide mounted on the bed and movable in adirection toward and from'the grinding wheel, a regulating wheel unitand a bracket carried by the bed for relative movement as respects eachother and for joint movement toward and from the grinding wheel, a workrest blade centrally mounted on the bracket, cylindrical supportslaterally projecting from the bracket, work supporting units mounted inpairs on the supports, means for securing one member of each pairagainst rotation on the support, and additional means for locking theother member, of 'the pair in circumferentially adjusted position on thesupport.

8. A centerless grinding machine including a bed or support, a grindingwheel mounted thereon, a slide mounted on the. bed and movable in adirection toward and :Eroni the grinding wheel, a regulating wheel unitand a bracket'carried by the bed for relative movement as respects eachother and for joint movement toward and from the grinding wheel, a workrest blade centrally mounted on the bracket, cylindrical supportslaterally projecting from the bracket, work-supportmeans 'for lockingthe other member of the ing units mounted in pairs on the supports,-

means for securing one member of each pair against rotation on thesupport, additional pairin circumferentially adjusted position on ,thesupport,-and cooperating means on the members of each pair fordetermining theirre'lative angular adjustment.

9. A centerless grinding machine including a bed or support, a grindingwheel mounted thereon, a slide mounted'on the bed and movable in adirection toward and from the grinding wheel, a regulating wheel unitand a bracket carried by the bed for relative movement as respects eachother and for joint movement toward-and from the grinding wheel, a workrest blade centrally mounted on the bracket, cylindrical supportslaterally I projecting from the bracket, work supporting units. mountedin pairs on the su ports, means for securing one member of eaghpairagainst rotation on the support, additional means for locking the othermember of the pair in circumferentially adjusted position on thesupport, said members including extensible arms, fwork supportingrollers carried by the arms and means for securing the rollers indesired radially adjusted position as respects the cylindrical supporttherefor.

contact rollers carried by the arms in alignment with the work restblade and point of contact of the regulating wheel with the work wherebythe work on one side of the grinding throat is supported parallel withthe throat for movement therealong into the throat and whereby the workon the other side of the grinding throat is supported parallel with thethroat for movement therealong after it passes through the said throat.

a 11. In a centerlessgrinder the combination of a air of opposed grindinand regu-, lating wheels forming a grin ing throat therebetween, a workrest blade subtending the grinding throat for su portin work inengagement with the grin ing an regulating wheels and a work supportingtrough exterior of the grinding throat comprising a supporting bar, aplurality of work supporting units carried by the bar in spacedrelation, each work supportin unit comprising a pair of arms one 0 whichhas a split clamping collar surrounding the a bar and a lu extendingtherefrom, the other arm having a split clamping collar and an earextending therefrom overlying the lug, adjusting means extending throughthe ear and contacting the lug for adjusting the arms relative t0oneanother about the supporting bar, means contracting the split collars tosecure the arms to the bars intheir adjusted'positions, and workcontacting rollers carried by the arms at the upper end thereof.

12. In a centerless grinder the combination of a pair of opposedgrinding and regulatin wheels forming a grindin throat! there tween, awork rest blade su tendingthe grindingthroat for su porting work in ftending therefrom, the other arm having a split clamping collar and anearextending therefrom overlying the lug, adjusting means extendingthrough the ear and contacting the lug for adjusting the armsrelative'ito one I another about the supporting bar, means contractin-gthe split collars to secure the arms to the bars in their adjustedpositions, work contacting rollers carried by the arms at the upper endthereof, and means for adjusting the rollers relative to the supportingarms.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN E. CASTER.

